Dodge

Founded by brothers John and Horace Dodge;
the duo began as bicycle machinists working
in their fathers Michigan (USA) shop, then
moving to Windsor, Ontario (Canada) where they
adapted their skills to meet the needs of the
fledgling automotive industry. They were particularly
adept at the manufacture of intricate automotive
parts, their products soon coming to the attention
of Henry Ford. So impressed with the quality
of their workmanship, and the brothers themselves,
Ford would offer them a whopping one-tenth
interest in his own new car company.

That partnership
would endure for the next 12 years, the brothers
then splitting from Ford to pursue the creation
of their own automotive empire, particularly
given that the Fords of the day were built
almost entirely out of Dodge parts! When asked
why he and his brother wanted to build their
own car, John Dodge reportedly said "Think
of all the Ford owners who will someday want
an automobile". In 1914 Dodge Brothers
was formed, and in their first year the "Old
Betsy" would be released, a rugged car
built for reliability and durability at a time
such vehicles were held in very high regard;
that year Dodge built a total of 249 new cars. In 1928 Chrysler acquired the company, creating
a new division to help it better compete with
the all conquering GM, and at the same time
adding much needed additional production facilities.

During World War II the company would manufacture
the highly acclaimed Power Wagon - a vehicle
that would continue in production a decade
after the war. The company would continue to
lead the way in technical innovation, including
the first 140-horsepower "Red Ram" Hemi
V8 engine in the 1953 Coronet. In the 1960s
and '70s Dodge contributed to America's
fascination with high-performance muscle
cars by manufacturing the 505 Charger
Daytona’s for stock- car racing and as
production cars. From the 1980’s Dodge
engineers and designers would set about the
creation of some of the most desirable sheet
metal going around, from the Dodge 400 (and
the Chrysler Lebaron) convertibles of the 1980’s,
to the Viper of the 90s. And like the Old Betsy
of days past, Dodge would also manufacture
a formidable lineup of rugged pickups and small
trucks, such as the Ram, Dakota and Durango.

1963 - 1976
Chrysler Corporation's sales charts were beginning to conjure up memories of the Black Friday Panic of 1869 and everyone, from the stockholders to the dealers to the men on the line, knew precious little cushion was left before the Big Three suddenly became the Big Two. More >>

1966 - 1969
Production of the Dodge Charger commenced in 1966, the
car fitted with the 383ci, 325-horsepower V-8. Styling
was based on the "fastback" roofline, featuring
hidden headlights and four bucket seats. More >>

1970 - 1974
While the Charger is the muscle car most highly regarded
today, the Challenger remains a close runner up and, like
its predecessor, was available as a R/T model in both
2 door coupe and convertible configurations. As with all
such American cars, the 'base' engine was an in-line six-cylinder
unit, but the most exciting of the V8's, and the one which
most people bought, was the 426ci 7 liter 'Hemi'. More >>

1980 - 1989
The Chrysler Corporation, deep in financial trouble by 1980, announced its front-drive 'K Cars', seemingly late in the day for the small US car race, but there was little doubt the corporation was depending very much on the new downsized models to get back in the black. More >>

1992 - 2002
From the late 70s to early 80s, Chrysler was troubled
by recession and bankruptcy. New president Lee Iacocca
introduced a radical cost reduction regime, reducing models
and reducing platforms - eventually to only one (the boring
front-drive K-car platform). These changes helped Chrysler
return to profitability, but the model lineup was unadventurous
and hardly inspired car enthusiasts. More >>